« Producing an accessible digital book is to remove a barrier towards access to knowledge and entertainment. It is to allow each reader, regardless of its context and its cognitive and visual challenges, to access this content in the form that suits it“, Underlines Mélissa Haquenne, accessibility consultant. “”The accessibility of the book is what can make the difference between a conflicting relationship to reading and developing a passion that will lead to new horizons. »
Read, a right for all
They are in class, in the library, in bookstores … And yet, they often stay on the fringes. Almost 20 % of the world’s population – or millions of potential readers – are struggling to access books, hampered by a visual, engine or cognitive disorder (such as dyslexia). Long forgotten by the classic publishing circuits, these readers finally see a wind of change.
Because a small revolution is preparing: as early as June 2025, the European directive on the accessible digital book will come into force. This text requires publishers to make their books readable by all, regardless of medium or disability. No more rigid and unusable files with assistance tools!
5 main principles so as not to lose the thread
Make reading accessible to everyone? On paper, it’s a great ambition. In practice, this is a whole different story. If the objective of inclusiveness is unanimous, the accessibility of digital books, it raises its share of questions and cold sweats.
What format to adopt? What standards to comply with? And above all: how to develop your production chain without making costs or losing in quality flambé?
Faced with these legitimate questions, do not panic. This article unrolls the 5 main essential principles to understand what an accessible digital book is – and above all, how to get into it concretely.
To read – Brand: Facilitate access to ebooks, everywhere and for all
Designed as a roadmap to slide between two files or to punish above its office, this guide is intended for all those who wish to take the step, pragmatic, progressive, but resolutely committed. Because yes, accessibility is learned. And it’s starting now.
Principle n ° 1: bet on a flexible, legible and universal format
No accessibility without flexibility! For a digital book to really adapt to the needs of each reader-which he reads with the eyes, the ears or the fingertips-still you have to choose the right format.
This is where the EPUB 3 reformatable enters the scene. This standardized format allows fluid navigation in the text, the font adjustment, the size of the characters or even contrasts, while remaining compatible with assistance tools such as vocal syntheses or screen players.
In other words, he leaves the reader full powers: jumping from one chapter to another, enlarge the letters, listen to the text with the right intonation even in a foreign language, or even access the description of the images if he cannot see them.
To guarantee this flexibility, it is crucial to comply with WCAG 2.0 AA standards defined by W3C – in other words, the rules of the international game of digital accessibility. A little technical on paper, these standards are above all a solid base to build a digital book that holds the road, for all readers.
To remember: a well formatted epub is like a well -connected book – the basis of everything else!
Principle n ° 2: Think accessibility from the first page
Making an accessible book is not checking a box at the last minute: it is a reflex to adopt from the design. In other words, the sooner you think, simpler (and economical) will be the process.
For example, choosing sufficiently contrasting colors from the paper model will prevent you from having to rethink everything for digital. Same logic for images: it is better to write alternative descriptions with the author when preparing the manuscript, than to tinker with last minute texts without fine knowledge of the content.
Objective: to anticipate to better produce, and to open your books to a wider readership – without overload of work.
Principle n ° 3: equip your teams !
An accessible production chain cannot be improvised. To ensure that your approach works, your teams must have the right tools and good benchmarks.
• Start by creating model files adapted to your different collections, especially if your works have very distinct models.
• Use software designed for accessibility – some greatly facilitate the description of images, for example (spoiler: we present to you very soon!).
• And above all, set up an accessibility checklist to check, point by point, that your file meets the criteria. A kind of technical control of the digital book.
Good to know: tools like Ace by Daisy allow you to automate part of this verification. And for more reliability, do not hesitate to call on an external audit by a certified expert.
Principle n ° 4: Say it high and strong !
An accessible book is good. An accessible and clearly identified book as such is even better!
Accessibility does not stop in production. It must circulate throughout the book chain: diffusers, distributors, libraries, booksellers must be able to relay this information to the final reader. And for that, a watchword: clear and well informed metadata.
Indicate the accessibility features included in each file (structured navigation, reading aloud, adjustable contrasts, etc.). This is what will allow online platforms – like the Leslibraires.ca site, to name a few – to enhance your accessible titles and orient the readers concerned to your catalog.
In short: what you did well, let us know!
Principle 5: Note and educate stakeholders
The impact of an accessible digital book is a multiple project: authors, prod team, broadcasters, etc. For everyone to take it, they must have a collective dimension. Technical challenges related to accessibility can quickly make us forget the most important: people who benefit from it, and the impact that these accessible books will have on their daily lives.
We put in this capacity and at your disposal some useful resources (even, essential …):
• Demonstration of a reading application used by dyslexic people
• Demonstration of a reformatable epub file read by a blind person
• challenges of the Fixed Layout EPUB format for people with dyslexia
• Online dyslexia simulator and visual disorder simulator
Bonus: 12 tips to get started without getting lost
Don’t you know where to start? Don’t panic. To support step by step publishers, the platform be able to read, carried by the brand company, offers a tool as simple as it is effective: one tip per week in your mailbox.
The principle is clear: each trick guides you on an accessibility functionality – navigation, image descriptions, compatibility with screen readers … – all explained in a few concrete steps and easy to apply, without jargon or technical overload.
This initiative, baptized with accuracy the Academy of Accessible Digital Book, is accompanied by a well -supplied toolbox: models, tutorials, checklists and even resources to check the conformity of your files once the work is finished.
In summary: a progressive approach, accessible at all skill levels, to transform your good intentions into real accessible books.
Photo credits: Mohamed_hassan CC 0
File – Digital books for everyone, everywhere
By Nicolas Gary
Contact : [email protected]
